Vending apparatus



2 Sheets-Shed 1.

(No Model.)

J. SOHOFIELD. VENDING APPARATUS.

No. 437,048. I

Patented Sept. 28, 1890.

HIM" J'h ll I II N mum. wnsumm'ou u c Ne Model.) 2 sneetssheet 2.

J. SOHOPIELD.

VENDING APPARATUS.

No. 437,048. Petented Sept. 23, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SCI-IOFIELD, OF NEWV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

VENDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,048, datedSeptember 23, 1890.

Application filed May 20, 1890. Serial No. 352,475- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN SCHOFIELD, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVending Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The apparatus is designed especially for the sale of flexiblearticlessuch as postagestamps, papers, and the likethough its use is notlimited in this respect, as it may be employed for vending otherarticles.

. My object is to provide an apparatus simple in construction, compactin form, and cheap to manufacture.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectionwith parts in elevation. Fig. 1 is a detail view of the shaft-bearing;Fig. 2, a section from front to rear of the case with the working partsin elevation, and Fig. 3 a detail View of a wheel adapted to holdseveral rows of articles and the means for operating said wheellaterally. Fig. 4 is a modification of the escapement mechanism.

The carrying-wheel A for the articles is provided with a series ofspring-clips a, by which the stamps are held, they being insertedbetween the spring-tongue 1 and the body of the clip 2. They arearranged radially around the periphery of the wheel and are intended tobe brought in succession to the opening B of the casin g. The casing Cmay be of various shapes, and I have indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 a formin full lines and another form which may be desired in dotted lines. Atthe opening B the relation between the casing and the wheel and clips issuch that the flexible articles as they are brought in succession tosaid opening willbear upon the interior of the casing and be bent backuntil they come directly opposite the opening, when they assume theirnormal position, their upper ends springing out through the opening, andthus extending out through the casing to be easily grasped by thefingers. This eifeot may be secured by having the wheel arranged closeto the casing, so that the space between the clips and the inner side ofthe casing will be less than the length of the flexible articles, or, asshown in Fig. 2, the casing may be extended inward by means of theprojections 3, forming a flaring cavity about the opening B, and saidprojection will act as a cut-off to prevent the extraction of thearticles above the opening, it being understood that the wheel revolvesin the direc tion of the arrow, Fig. 2. A shaft 0, under tension of aweight and rope 4 5, supports the carrying-wheel A, and this shaft alsohas the toothed wheel D at one end, which is engaged by a pawl-lever cl,which holds it against the action of the weight 4, the teeth of saidwheel being of such size as to allow a movement of the carrying-wheelequal to the distance between the clip-holders. The pawl-lever ispressed into engagement with the ratchet by a spring 5, and it isoperated to release'the ratchet and allow the carrying-wheel to move onestep by means of the coin-lever E, pivoted in ears e below theratchet-wheel and bearing against a push-bar f, the upper end of whichengages with the end of the pawl lever d. The push-rod f slidesvertically in a bearing 6, which may be secured to the easing. Acoin-slide 7, located alongside the ratchet, directs the coins to thelever E, and thus the mechanism 4 is operated one step through thelevers E and d and weight 4 each time a coin is introduced of the propersize. A money-box g is located directly beneath thelever E, and thecoin-slide is formed with an open bottom, as shown in Fig. l, and thisalso is arranged directly over the money box, so that the coins, both ofproper andimproper size, will fall directly into the moneybox.

In Fig. at is shown a simpler and the preferred form of escapementmechanism, consisting of an anchor Z, having a holding-pallet 'u and acheck-pallet c. The anchor is piv oted at 20, and an arm extends fromthe anchor downwardly on the same side with the holding-pallet andcarries at its lower end a simple plate 21, located across the path ofthe coin. The weight of the plate and arm keeps the holding-pallet inengagement with the ratchet-teeth, and the normal position of said armand plate is near the ratchet; but when a coin is introduced it willstrike the plate and move the arm outwardly away from the ratchet,lifting the holding-pallet and allow- ICO ing the ratchet to move onetooth under the action of the weight. The bearing B, Fig. 1, for theshaft consists of a plate of brass cut so that a central tongue is leftvertical to receive the shaft, and the two side tongues 25' may be bentto horizontal position and secured to the casing.

In Fig. 3 is shown a wheel carrying three rows of holding-clips, and myobject here is to increase the capacity of the machine withoutincreasing materially the size of the wheel or other parts. Thedischarge-opening I3 is represented in dotted lines in alignment withthe first row of articles, and it is designed to bring the second row ofarticles into line with the opening when the first is exhausted, and forthis purpose the wheel is adapted to slide laterally, and is providedwith a hub-extension II, having three peripheral grooves 7 8 9 and twolongitudinal grooves 10 11. A spring 12 about the shaft and bearingagainst the stationary collar 13 tends constantly to force the wheel tothe right by bearing against the hub-extension II. This tendency isresisted by a pin 15, projecting into the groove 7 said pin being heldby any suitable crossbar 16, attached to the casing. This pin holds theparts in the position shown until in the revolution of the wheel in thedirection of the arrow the groove 10 comes opposite the pin, when thespring 12 will act and force the wheel to the right until the side ofthe groove 8 strikes the pin, and thus holds the parts with the secondrow of articles in line with the opening, and when this row is exhaustedthe arrangement is such that the longitudinal groove 11 will come inline with the pin, and the spring 12 will then act again to shift theWheel to the right and bring the third row of articles into line withthe opening.

I claim as my invcntion- 1. In combination with the carrier and itsshaft, the ratchet-wheel, the cord and weight, the anchor with holdingand check pallets, the arm extending on the same side of the pivot asthe holding-pallet and having a plate, the weight of which will retainthe holding-pallet in engagement with the ratchet-wheel, and thecoin-slide extending across the face of the ratchet to direct the coinagainst the plate, whereby the plate and arm will be moved to disengagethe holding-pallet from the ratchet and throw in the check-pallet,substantially as described.

2. In combination, the carrier and operating means therefor, the shaft,and the hearing for said shaft, consisting of the plate having avertical tongue and the side tongues t t, secured to the casing.

3. In combination, the carrier arranged to have lateral movement andhaving two or more independent rows of holders, means for forcing thecarrier laterally when one row is exhausted, and holding means,substantially as described.

4. In combination, the carrier having two or more rows of holders, thehub having peripheral and longitudinal grooves, the pin adapted theretofor holding the carrier, and the spring for forcing the carrierlaterally when the longitudinal groove is brought in alignment with thepin, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN SCIIOFIELD.

Witnesses:

CHARLES L. ULLMAN, CHARLES ll. FOWLER.

